From Darkness to Hope
The following is a speech by Sumaira Aman, an iACT for Refugees client, shared at iACT’s A Night Under One Sky in October.
Good evening, everyone! My name is Sumaira Aman. I am originally from Kabul, Afghanistan- a beautiful country nicknamed the Heart of Asia.
I am happy to be with you tonight.
I grew up in much better times, when girls in Kabul could learn normally. After High School I went on to university where I graduated in the field of Computer Science.
I worked as a teacher in my country and I taught in public and private schools for ten years.
Every story has a story, and the story of my life is hope. *Hope* is the quiet voice that whispers “try again” when the world tells you to give up.
We all know that migration is not just moving from one country to another. Migration is a journey into yourself, where loneliness and hope and fear and courage change you to a person you don’t even know; and longing is always there.
I am Like thousands of other refugees. I left my home in the dead of night. My husband Sulaiman who worked at the US Embassy in Kabul received an email- it said it is time for all embassy staff to escape- their lives were in danger.
I will never forget that cold and silent night. We were escorted by my husband’s father and brother on foot a short distance to catch a bus taking all personnel and their families to the airport. We were on that bus from midnight to 2 am- doors and windows closed with only the roof open a bit to the night air.
I was pregnant at the time so I was not equipped to be locked into a dark cocoon. Our little daughter Sumaya was 3. Soon all the babies and children on the bus started wailing. It was hot and dark. Fear was all around us.
As I left the city and my home, I stared at every alley and backstreet of the beautiful city of Kabul, the alleys and streets where I had thousands of memories of my childhood and youth.
Our journey that night felt so strange because every sight of my city, brought back all the beautiful memories of my past and at the same time brought me such panic. This was August 27th 2021.
After a long and difficult journey, my husband, my daughter and I arrived in the Austin on November 27th, 2021.
My second daughter was born soon afterwards. Her beautiful face gave me new hope.
I was overwhelmed at that time-I didn’t know what I needed to do. How can I fit in? How can I be useful? I knew English, but I couldn’t speak it properly or fluently. I realized that I needed to take English classes. One of my friends told me about iACT.
iACT was a window of light for me. I didn’t know at the time, but starting in iACT’s classes showed me my path forward.
I think the success of each person depends on his own efforts as well as on the people who offer support. I owe all my successes to my loving husband, Mohammad Sulaiman Aman, because he has always stood by me and patiently supported me.
I started my journey of learning English in iACT’s Advanced English class. This led me to ACC where I completed two certifications as Teacher Assistant and Special Education Assistant.
The next achievement was getting my Texas Driving license – which gave me independence and freedom.
Now I volunteer in both iACT classes taught by my wonderful teacher as well as in iACT’s Heath and Wellness Program. Volunteering feels so good to me because I want to help others, especially Afghan women for whom freedom is a dream.
I want to speak for thousands of Afghan girls who do not have access to education today. Girls who are made to feel like failures before they are even given a chance. When I see longing in the eyes of the girls of my land, I know that their silent tears are a cry of a wounded nation, of thousands of girls whose voices have been silenced, their dreams burned, and their smiles stolen.
I feel blessed to have come to United States because I see a bright future for my two beautiful daughters, Sumaya and Asal- their futures will not be controlled or restricted.
I have learned that even if there is pain, hope remains somewhere in the human heart. I feel today like a tree whose branches are getting stronger every day and whose green leaves are shining brightly in the sunlight.
I came from darkness but l found hope.